The daily activities, of handicapped individuals who require the use of wheelchairs are often restricted by unwieldly wheelchairs. These wheelchairs are usually heavy in weight, large in size when folded for transport, and the wheels, footrests and armrests are either fixed to the wheelchair or are detachable and also attachable to the wheelchair with great difficulty.
Heavy wheelchairs require additional energy to move and lift which is unnecessarily tiring. Large wheelchairs which cannot be folded or partially disassembled must be transported in vans and buses rather than in the trunk or passenger compartment of small passenger vehicles.
In many instances lifting an occupant from a wheelchair is facilitated by the prior removal of one or more footrests and armrests. The removed members must ultimately by reapplied to the wheelchair. Accordingly, any difficulty in taking these steps reduces the utility of the wheelchair.